World No.1 Rafael Nadal has urged the ATP to review their calendar after retiring from his quarter-final match at the Australian Open.
During his last eight clash with Marin Cilic, the Spaniard picked up an injury in his right leg. Although it is yet to be confirmed as to what the exact problem is. Nadal took a time out after dropping the fourth set, but continued with the match. Only to call it quits two games later in what was only the second time he had ever retired from a match at grand slam level.
“I Started to feel the muscle a little bit tired in the third, but (I was) playing normal, no limits, no limitation. Then in the fourth at one movement, one dropshot I think, I felt something. At that moment I thought something happened, but I didn’t realize how bad.” Said Nadal.
“Tomorrow I am going to do a test, an MRI, then we will know.”
Melbourne was Nadal’s first tournament of the season after delaying his return to prepare more. At the end of 2017 he also pulled out of the ATP World Tour Finals due to a knee problem. Raising fears that the ten-time French Open champion could be going through another injury-stricken period in his career. The only consolation to his latest setback was that his knee appears to be back to full health.
“I was playing 3 hours 50 the other day. Today I was playing over 3 hours. I was running quite well.” He stated.
Nadal’s withdrawal follows a growing trend of high profile players suffering from injury. Novak Djokovic and Stan Wawrinka are still trying to return back to their full physical ability. Meanwhile, Andy Murray and Kei Nishikori are yet to begin their seasons. Murray recently underwent hip surgery and Nishikori is set to return later this week at a American Challenger event.
In recent months, some players have called for the schedule of the men’s tour to be reviewed. It currently lasts 11 months with December being the only month of the year when no tournaments are played. Weighing in on the debate, Nadal has accused officials of ‘not caring’ about players. Arguing that the current setup is risking the health of players in the long term.
“We are people with a life beyond our careers. It is difficult for me to think how I am going to finish my career.” He told reporters in Spanish.
“People who run the tour do not care about how we are going to end our careers, if we are going to have a normal life, if we are able to do sport.”
Addressing the topic in English, the world No.1 believes that playing on ‘hard surfaces’ are attributing to the surge in injuries. Although this claim can be subjective depending on the playing style of a person and how they move on the court.
“There are too many players injured, they need to think about what we are doing, playing on very hard surfaces, because there is life after tennis, we need to worry about what we do after tennis.” He said.
Despite crashing out in Melbourne, Nadal will remain world No.1 next week regardless of who wins the tournament.
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